Washing machine



Aug. 5, 1930. A. w. ALToRFl-:R

WASHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 8, 1927 llmz'rma.-

Y ...im 9

Patented Aug. 5,v 1930 y 1,772,094.

UNITED STATES PATENTy OFFICE ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER, OF PEOBIA, ASSIGNOR TALTORFEB BROS. COH- i Pm, 0l' EAST PEOBIA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0FILLINOIS wasnnre mesma Application med December 8, 1927. Serial ll'o.238,552.

This invention has reference to washing The tub lis here shown of theconventional machines and it has for its principal ob'ect square typehaving preferably a substanto improve the agitator structure thereo intially iiat bottom 2 throughout its area above the provision of a'noveldriving connection which is supported to be oscillated an a 5 betweenthe agitator and agitator operating tator or washing element The iiatbottom 55 .l

shaft; in the provision of a novel manner o 2 1s shouldered at 4,forming an annular oisulpporting the agitator in its relation to theset, with the portion 2 of the bottom slightly tu bottom; in theprovision of anovel means depressed, and from such shouldered portion toprevent clothing and other material from the bottom slopes upward] intothe sides of entering under the edge of the agitator, likethe tub. Ihave shown the bottom 2 provided Wise dirt and other foreign matter, andin with an opening 5 through which passes av theprovision of a noveldriving means for yjournal bearing 6 vfor a verticall disposed the a'tator operating shaft. shaft. In Fig. 2 this opening is axially of therther object of the invention is to protub, while in Fig. 4 this openingis off-set vide an agitator operating shaft having a from the axis ofthe tub. In Fig. 2 the jour 65 preferably oating upper end below thenornal bearing 6 is a stem extension from a vermal water level in thetub; such iioating end tically u standing stem 7, while in Fig. 4 the ofsaid'shaft facilitating the easy and conjournal earing is an extensionfrom a gear venient connection of the agitatorgwith said casing section8 adapted: to be coupled to the shaft. base of said stem 7. In eachinstance suitable A still further object ofthe invention is to packingis shown over and underlying the provide a verticali disposed tubularstem ottom 2 and surrounding the extension 6 to orming a housing or theagitator operating prevent leakage, a nut 9 having a threaded shaft anda. bearing means for an upstanding connection with said extension tofirmly se- 75 sleeveV of the agitator; said stemA having a cure theparts inplace.

bearing support at its base, which provides a "The stem 7 extends to aPoint in the tub support for and on which the agitator roabove thenormal water leve therein, is open tates. at its upper end and formed orprovided in- Other and further objects will morefully teriorly at ornear this point with a bearing appear from the following description.surface 10. At "its lower end said stem lis 8 That the invention may bemore fully unformed or` provided with a stepped base 11 derstood,reference is had to the accompanywhich provldes a bearing support onwhich is ing drawings forming part of this descripsupported and rotatesthe agitator 3. This tion, illustrating a preferred embodiment of stem 7serves as a housing in which oscillates the invention, in which theupstanding agitator operating shaft' 12, 85

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a washing machine which, in Fig. 2 passes upthrough and has a tub with my improved agitator mechanism journalbearing in the extension 6 of the stem therein; l and the base thereof,while in Fig. 4 it passes Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section throughthrou h and has a journal bearing relation tub and agitator mechanism;in the ase of the stem and terminates there- 9 Fig. 3 is a detail,partly in section, showing beneath without passino' through and out ofthe stem and bearing'support thereon for the the bottom 2 of thetu as inFig. 2.` The agitator and the associated agitator operatupper end of theshaft 12, in each instance, in shaft, and terminates short of the stemend having the ig. 4 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. bearing surface10 and therefore below the 95 2, except that the oifset driving shaftand the normal water level in the tub and preferably ring to theagitator operating shaft are has, what is termed a floating position inthe sgilwn. u per ortinof said stem '7, and is easily Like characters ofreference denote correa 'gnab e with the vertically extended sleeve' 5sponding parts throughout the figures. f 13 of the agitator when seatingthe same for 19 15 diately above -t -or in several pieces and welded orotherwise' connected. Said agitator comprises a preferably disc-likemember 3, which, when it is in operative osition in the tub lies immeebottom portion 2 and is formed or provided with a radially arrangedannular flange 14, whereby to form, together with the base of the disc astructure complementary to the shoulder 4 in the tub bottom,

l whereby to prevent clothing and other mates rials from getting underthe agitator and to prevent dirt and other foreign matterl from alsogetting under said agitator. Disposed radially and upstanding from thesurface of the disc and terminating in its base and said sleeve are aplurality of baies, wings or agitating vanes 15, common in structure oflike character. The sleeve 13 extends downwardly to .a point below thetop surfaces of the 3o baiiies 15 and is provided interiorly at or nearits lower terminal 4with an externally disposed bearing surface 16rotatable on the lower surface of the sleeve' 7, while the u per end ofsaid sleeve 13 normally extends a ove $5 the end of the stem 7, at whichpoint it is formed or provided with an inturned downwardly extendingbearing member 17, overlying the upper end of the stem and terminatingdownwardly in the stem 7 below its upper end and below the normal waterlevel in uthe tub. The member 17 rotates on the bearing surface 10within the stem 7. and the lower end of said member 17 is formed orprovided with a socket or opening 18 which preferably conforms to theshape of the end portion 12 of the shaft 12, whereby a slip on v and offconnectionmay vbe had between the sleeve 13 and the shaft 12 to transmitmovement from said shaft to the agitator and its sleeve. The floating ofthe` upper ,end of the Y shaft 12 facilitating the easy and convenientattachment of the part 17 of the sleeve 13 l with the upper end of theshaft 12, as such floatin` end will allow the shaft to be easily 55aligned with the part 17 of the sleeve 13. As shown, the stem 7 forms ahousing for the shaft l2 said stem and its base only at the latterpoint, being allowed to float at -its upper end and the mturned portionof thesleeve 13 has a bearing relation at its upper end interiorly ofthe stem 7 and externally of the stem at its lower end; the said sleeve,however, being supported on and by the stem 7 only at its lower end andthen by the base 11, as will be understood.

` bearing which has a journal bearing withl rIhe agitator operatingshaft 12, as shown in Fig. 2, would have its operative connection withits driving means below the tub bottom, whereas, as shown in Fig. 4 thisoperative connection is above the tub bottom and beneath and confinedwithin the agitator. As thus arranged the base of the stem 7 is coupledor secured to the gear housing section 8, which, in addition to having aconnection with the bottom 2 of the tub through and by means of theextension 6, may be secured to aid bottom in any other suitable mannerand niennytheagitator operating shaft 12 does not extend downwardly orupwardly through the bottom of the tub, but terminates in the casing 8and has connected thereto a gear wheel 19 in mesh with and` adapted toreceive its power from a gear pinion 20 on the upper end of a drivingshaft 21 having a journal in the base of the stem 7 and being olf-setwith respect to the axis of the tub 1 passes down through (or upthrough, as the case may be) and has a journal bearing in the extension6, its lower end having a driving connection anism, not shown. Thisarrangement of drive to the agitator operating shaft will allow `for adifferent ratio of speeds from the driving shaft to the agitatoroperating shaft, or a uniform speed therebetween, as may be desired.Also, the use of vsuch gearing, to permit a different ratio of speedsbetween the driving and agitator shafts will eliminate many of theelements ordinarily included in the usual and customary transmissiongearing. It is also obvious that by this arrangement'the gearing isfully protected against water entering thehousing, does not interferewith the agitator and provision is made to prevent leakagev around thesleeve 6, both in the form shown in Fig. 4, as well as in Fig. 2.

Furthermore the sleeve of the agitator is above the normal water levelin the tub, so that the coupling between said sleeve and the upper-endof the shaft 12, even though posi.- tioned below such normal water levelis protected against leakage or overflow into the stem 7.

What l claim is:

In a washing machine, in combination, a tub, a tubular stem having ajournal bearing in the bottom of the tub and extending to a point abovethe normal water level in the tub and provided with an interiorlyarranged with any suitable driving mech` suitable means. Also in thisarrangebearing surface at its upper end and with aring surface atextending u into the throng its .low-

driving floating an exteriorly arran ed its lower end, a sha stem andhaving a bearing er end and terminating in a upstanding sleeve having abearing on the exteriorly arranged bearing surface on the lowend withinthe stem below the normal water level in the tub and an agitatorincluding an er end of the stem and provided with an inwardly dependinbearing member at its lipper end having a earing relation with theexteriorly arranged bearing surface at the u per end of the stem, andthe terminal of sald bearing member adapted to have a slip on and offdriving connection with the driving end of said shaft.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto afm fixe? my hand this 2nd day ofDecember,

ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER.

